Promises
by PCGirl
Summary: John makes right on a long ago promise.


A/N: Enjoy! Until next time-ya'll are the best-PCGirl.

* * *

Natalie walked into the Palace ballroom confused as to why she was here. John had left work while she was out in the field, and then sent her a cryptic text saying he was here questioning a member of the staff and to meet him here. But now she stood in the center of the ballroom while the staff worked around her to set up a private event and John was nowhere in sight.

Hearing her name she smiled at seeing Renee walk down the stairs. "Renee. How are you?" she asked after receiving a hug.

"I'm fine. And you?"

"Confused," she laughed. "John told me to meet him here. Maybe we got our wires crossed."

"No, I don't think so," she said as she handed her an envelope.

Natalie gave a half smile as she opened it and saw John's handwriting,

_What is today's date? Better late than never, right? See you soon. Love, your boys._

Realizing the date her eyes filled with tears and took a look around the room again to see it was being set up for a wedding and her favorite flowers seemed to be the centerpieces, "He did this?"

Renee smiled, "He can be quiet a romantic when he needs to be. The room key is for our penthouse suite. You'll find everything you need in there."

Natalie smiled through the tears, "Thank you, Renee," and rushed off to get ready.

* * *

"Thanks," said John and hung up the phone.

"So I take it she understood the note," spoke Michael as he watched Liam and Gabe play together on the floor of their hotel room.

John nodded and sat down on the bed next to Michael and watched the boys. He'd spent the past two months trying to make up for every wrong he'd done against Natalie and his son and had succeeded for the most part.

The biggest wrong he thought though was that Natalie was not Mrs McBain yet. He'd been trying to figure out how to fix that when he remembered the promise he broke five years ago tonight—how he had promised Natalie a date at the Palace where they would have more to celebrate which never came.

"I'm glad you finally came to your senses—you two, you just make sense bro."

"Thanks, Mike," he said and gave his brother a half smile and leaned down to scoop Liam up and placed him on his lap.

He wondered what would have happened if he and Natalie had gone ahead with the engagement. With the way things were going he wondered if they would have made it this far—or would they have broken up later, and still not have found their way back to each other yet.

But they had—despite everything they put between each other through the years, they once again found the other through the fog, and tonight they started their life together as one family.

"You never did tell me why you chose this date though," said Michael, noticing he had lost his brother to some deep thoughts.

"Just righting a wrong—that's all," he said as kissed the top of his son's head. "We better get ready, little man—or mom is going to be standing at the aisle without us."

* * *

Natalie walked into the suite and was surprised to find herself alone in a beautiful suite with a dress bag, a box, and two notes on the bed. Looking at the notes she noticed one was John's and one was Jessica's.

She chose Jessica's first and sat down in the chair as she read it,

_Natalie,_

_I'm so happy for you—you're finally getting you happy ending with John. I wanted you to know I didn't mean what I said before—so I'm giving you your something borrowed and blue. Enjoy today._

_Jess_

Walking back over she opened the box to find the necklace Jessica had given to her last New Year's Eve. Wiping a tear away she realized just how much everything had changed since then. Thinking she was keeping a secret about Liam's paternity from John, losing both him and Jessica in her life, getting them both slowly back, and now—marrying someone who had been in her heart for so very long.

Opening the other letter she was surprised as the engagement ring fell out into her hand. Slipping it on her finger she smiled through tears at his words,

_N_

_It's not coming off this time. Ever._

J

* * *

It always amazed John at how seeing Natalie would take his breath away—and though he'd seen her standing at the end of the aisle twice already, this time was no exception.

When he'd come to Viki not so long ago and told her of his plan she'd asked about the wedding dress—that if this whole thing was to be a surprise did she need to have the one from last year be cleaned for her to wear again.

He'd told her he'd leave that decision up to her—but that Natalie didn't need something flashy to try and make her more beautiful than she already was.

Seeing her standing there now, he felt like a dream from long ago was becoming a reality as he watched her walk towards him, their eyes fixed on each other and their future. No lies, or secrets, or broken promises—just them, the way it always should have been.

* * *

Natalie stood in the middle of the dance floor swaying a sleeping Liam from side to side, his hand wrapped around a piece of her hair that had fallen out of its confines.

Many guests had already said their goodbyes and she was starting to get tired herself. Closing her eyes she felt Liam's chest rise and fall—and suddenly could feel John standing behind them both.

Turning around she smiled at him, "Hello there, Mr McBain."

"Hello, Mrs McBain," he said, a smile on his lips at finally getting to say that to her.

"I still don't know how you pulled this off," she smiled and leaned up to kiss him. "And the dress-," she said, looking down at the simple princess style with a scoop neck, it reminded her of a dream she had once, and wondered had she ever told him about that moment she was at her lowest after Jessica's wedding to Antonio. "It's beautiful."

"Just like you," he said as he took Liam from her and felt him fuss for a moment before settling onto John's shoulder and back to sleep. "Mom wants to take him for the night—get to spend some time with her grandson so we can have an evening to ourselves."

"That's fine," she said and gave her son a kiss on the cheek. "But we actually won't be alone," she said and her eyes suddenly started to get misty.

"Natalie," he said and realized what she meant by that. "Really?"

"Yeah. I hope it's not too soon."

"Never," he said as he pulled his family into his arms and felt completely at home.


End file.
